It has been a while since the Dark Side Brew Crew has needed more staff members, but as we approach the beginning of our annual Look Back/Look Ahead Series, it is clear that we need more writers who love craft beer. Between jobs, family, school, and more, we are pretty stretched thin at present, so…
Oktoberfest: Welcome to the mountains of Red River
In mid-October, in the mountains of northern New Mexico, a certain familiar sound can be heard through the little valley of Red River. It’s not the rustling of the wind through glimmering gold, fresh-changed aspens, nor the honking of the horns of people-packed caravans. It’s the chorus of clinking glasses and the raising of toasts….
The Week Ahead in Beer: Anniversaries and fiestas galore
Greetings, New Mexico craft beer lovers. Stoutmeister here with The Week Ahead in Beer. This column covers all the breweries in Bernalillo and Sandoval counties, with Santa Fe’s seven breweries, one in Los Alamos, one in Moriarty, one in Red River, and one in Las Cruces also joining the party. Hey, remember when we thought…
Weekend Beer-cap: The one where we get exceptionally wordy
Well, that was quite the weekend. Of all the Crew, I may have done the least craft beer drinking, which is quite weird. Hey, I am single and do not have a kid, but I also have a screwy work schedule and missed the ninth annual New Mexico Brew Fest. Boo. Anyway, I did get…
Capturing the sights of the 9th annual New Mexico Brew Fest
Man, the weather sure turned, didn’t it? We went from a nice autumn to this cold, dark mess, and while that warms our little metal hearts, it is still hard to believe how nice it was just about 48 hours ago. Three members of the Crew — AmyO, Andrew, Reid — made it out to…
New Mexico Brew Fest keeps it local for its 9th edition
One of our favorite annual beer festivals, the New Mexico Brew Fest, is back at the State Fairgrounds this Saturday afternoon. The ninth edition starts at 1 p.m. (noon for early entry ticket holders) and runs until 6. Tickets are available online here. What makes this a favorite fest of ours? Well, to start with,…
The Week Ahead in Beer: Running with the brews
Greetings, New Mexico craft beer lovers. Stoutmeister here with The Week Ahead in Beer. This column covers all the breweries in Bernalillo and Sandoval counties, with Santa Fe’s seven breweries, one in Los Alamos, one in Moriarty, one in Red River, and one in Las Cruces also joining the party. Ready to get in shape…
Weekend Beer-cap: There is no such thing as too many Oktoberfest celebrations
A whopping five more Oktoberfest-style beers went on tap in the Albuquerque metro area last week, joining multiple marzens that have already been on tap for a while. With so many wonderful lagers available, I just had to get out there and try as many as possible. My plan totally worked for two days, until…
Duel ABQ taproom closes after all
The Duel Brewing taproom in downtown Albuquerque is no more. After hearing rumors for a week, the Crew ventured downtown last Wednesday to see for ourselves if the taproom had indeed closed. By all appearances, it has been shut down, and with the deletion of the site’s Facebook page, we feel confident in writing that…
The Dark Side guide to local craft beer for Balloon Fiesta tourists
The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is a huge draw for people from all over the world. It kicks off this weekend, just in case you have been in a self-imposed media blackout and did not know, which means there are gonna be a lot of thirsty newcomers to our fair desert city. To help out…
